A Soul's Balance
by Damien
Summary: Alternate Reality. A tragedy in the past brings together an unlikely pair
1. Default Chapter

A Soul's Balance  
A Tenchi Muyo Fan fiction  
  
By Damien  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Tenchi Muyo belong to AIC and Pioneer LDC. They are used without permission.  
  
  
Prologue:  
Love is the master key, which opens the gates of happiness.  
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~  
  
  
It was difficult for her to describe the sensations she was feeling, having felt nothing for so long, but in her heart she knew what it was. The seal to her prison had been broken. She could smell the fresh spring air seeping in to replace the stagnant dank of seven hundred years, warmth to replace the gloom, radiant light to replace the intransigent dark, and hope to replace centuries of despair. * FREE *, after seven hundred years, she would be free again. Freedom from her physical prison was only part of her joy. She was free to love now too.  
  
Surely, it was Tenchi who had broken the seal. Even now, she could hear him sliding down the path towards her chamber. He must have slipped and fallen; the slope was rather steep. She would have laughed in if her vocal chords had been in condition to do so. Her first laugh in seven... No, it would be her first real laugh ever. Tenchi had taught her so many things; finally it was her turn to repay him. She would show him the universe.   
  
She was thinking these thoughts when it hit her. Again, it was difficult for to describe the sensation. If she had to put the feeling into words, it was like having your breasts attached to the output terminals of a dimensional drive reactor running at one hundred and ten percent. To put it in simpler terms: it hurt... it hurt a lot. She was dazed by the influx of power.  
  
Unsteadily she stood, trying to focus her vision and her thoughts. Although, she really didn't need to see or think to understand what had happened, she knew instantly that she had her three gems back. Having had to scrape and scrounge for energy for so long, the return of her gems so quickly was like feeding a near death-starved man a full course steak dinner. Her system could not handle the shock. Ryoko doubled over in pain.  
  
"Sorry," said a man's voice, cutting through the din of her agony.   
  
She lifted her head, the hope of seeing Tenchi... of being able to touch him, eclipsing any pain.  
She was to be disappointed however.  
  
'Yosho...'  
  
  
  
The First Crown Princess of Jurai sat forlornly in front of a small holographic projection of her half-brother and fiancé as she ran lifelessly through the motions of preparing for bed.  
  
"...And when I come back," the recording said.  
  
"And when you came back; I was to become your bride," Aeka finished, not bothering to wipe away her tears. Shakily, she stood and went over to her bed. She lay there, staring up at the ceiling for a time. Wondering...  
  
'Why did you not take me with you?'  
  
"Because, he did not wish to risk my safety," she answered her own question. More questions followed. These were harder to answer.  
  
'Then... Why haven't you contacted anyone?'  
  
'Why haven't you returned to Jurai?'  
  
'Where are you Yosho?'  
  
Slowly, the calm breeze flowing through the open space of the room and the quiet peaceful sounds of night on Ryu-Oh brought sleep to the troubled princess...  
  
...And a dream, or was it a nightmare. She couldn't tell.  
  
  
  
Aeka looked around the smoldering bridge of her once proud Ryu-Oh for a sign of her enemy. All about her was flames and the billowing smoke made it difficult to see.  
  
"AEKA! AEKA, HELP ME!" a voice screamed.  
  
"SASAMI! Where are you, Sasami? SASAMI!" Aeka yelled. An explosion ripped through the ship tossing Aeka to the floor. Blood ran unchecked from a gash to her forehead and the pain in her side was excruciating, still she ignored it. She had to find Sasami.  
  
The ship began to list to one side, making it difficult for her to stand, but she did. Sasami was out there somewhere.  
  
"SASAMI! WHERE ARE YOU, SASAMI!"  
  
It was when total despair began to overcome her that she heard it: a laugh, a horridly wicked laugh.  
  
"Haha, why your lovely sister is with me, Princess Aeka. We were discussing the secret of the universe, Tsunami. Perhaps you care to join the discussion?"  
  
Aeka turned toward the direction of the voice. A tall man, Aeka had never seen before, held Sasami in the air, her throat in the crook of his arm. The look of total fear on Sasami's face was more than enough to enrage Aeka.  
  
"You *will* release my sister or so help me, I will..." Aeka said, forcing the words through her clenched teeth.  
  
"Or you will what?" the man asked calmly.  
  
"Enough!" Aeka screamed, and focused her will. "Restrain him!"  
  
Nothing  
  
The man laughed.  
  
'What is wrong,' Aeka thought confusedly. "Ryu-Oh! I said to restrain him!" Then she realized... it was gone, her link to Ryu-Oh was gone. Her eyes widened in disbelief, as she turned to look at her tree. It stood majestically for a moment and then as if in slow motion, it fell, cleaved in two vertically down the middle.   
  
"It looks as though you have more pressing concerns than your sister, Princess Aeka. Haha," the stranger got out between laughs and adjusted his small-rimmed glasses. "May I introduce you to a new associate of mine. First Crowned Princess of Jurai's Royal Family, meet... your death."  
  
A figure stepped over the broken stump of Ryu-Oh and took slow, determined steps towards Aeka. Whoever it was, was lean in shape and dressed rather simply, although Aeka had never seen his like of clothing before. Strangely, she could not make out his face.  
  
"YOU! YOU KILLED MY RYU-OH!" Aeka seethed, pointing at the figure, who stopped his advance. "AZAKA, KAMIDAKE, put that man to *DEATH*!"  
  
The two guardians materialized next to her, one on either side.  
  
"Yes, Ma'am," they chimed, and sped forth.  
  
The figure once again began his advance, as the two guardians approached.  
  
Both Azaka and Kamidake fired energy blast after energy blast at the figure, but the seemed to bend around him. Seeing as that attack had no effect, the two decided a more direct approach was necessary and moved to capture the intruder between them.  
  
Again, the man who held Sasami began to laugh... quietly at first.  
  
Azaka positioned himself to the figure's right, and Kamidake to the left. They were about to activate an electrical field and obey their mistress's command to kill the stranger, when the young man reached out both of his hands and placed one on Azaka and the other on Kamidake.  
  
Aeka looked over to the man holding Sasami, an evil grin spreading across her face. "Watch fiend, you will share a similar fate!"   
  
"No, Princess, it is you who should watch!" the man holding Sasami quipped.   
  
Aeka turned back to the young man between her two guardians and gaped.  
  
One moment, Azaka and Kamidake were there, the next moment they were gone.  
  
Both Azaka and Kamidake held their shape for a moment that seemed frozen in time, before guardian-sized amounts of sand and water came crashing to the floor.  
  
Aeka fell to her knees in disbelief and terror.  
  
"This can not be," she said quietly.  
  
Laughter rang throughout the ship, as the one holding Sasami could no longer contain his mirth. "Now, Princess, unless you too would like to feel his touch, you will tell me the secret..."  
  
The other figure resumed his advance toward Aeka.  
  
"How?" Aeka whispered. How had her life come to this?  
  
'All is not lost, Princess Aeka' a voice chimed in her mind.  
The laughter continued. The stranger's footsteps continued.  
  
"Why is this happening? All I wanted was to find my brother." Aeka asked, slipping further into hopelessness.  
  
'There is a purpose to all things, Princess, and you *will* find your brother. It may not be the reunion you wish it to be, but it will happen,' the feminine voice again answered.   
  
"What am I supposed to do? That thing is going to kill me!" Aeka said, pointing at the figure. He stopped just in front of her, and drawing an arm across his chest, formed a brilliant white sword. Aeka closed her eyes, not wanting to know when death would come.   
  
'He has the power to manipulate matter to the point of transforming it into other forms and he has other gifts, but he will not kill you. You will not die, Princess Aeka. Remember, this is only a dream.'  
  
"A... a dream?"  
  
'Yes'  
  
Aeka opened her eyes. The burning bridge of Ryu-Oh was gone, as were Sasami and the man who was holding her and demanding to know of Tsunami. All was dark. The only thing she could see was herself and the young man with the sword to her throat, but she was no longer afraid.  
  
She squinted her eyes, but still could not make out his face.  
  
"Who is he?" Aeka asked staring at the unmoving man.  
  
'The key to your happiness.'  
  
  
  
"Aeka... Aeka, wake up. Aeka!"  
  
Aeka sat bolt upright in her bed. A gentle breeze blew through the large open windows of Aeka's room and all was quiet and still. Aeka rubbed her sleep heavy eyes, and looked about herself with growing relief. Ryu-Oh hadn't been destroyed. She felt a tugging at her arm. It was her little sister, Sasami.  
  
'Thank goodness,' Aeka thought at seeing her sister well and placed a hand over her quickly beating heart. Completely calm now, Aeka smiled down at her sniffling sibling. "What's wrong, Sasami?"  
"I had a scary dream, Can I sleep with you?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
  
  
  
  
1  
  
  



	2. Righteous Indignation

A SOUL'S BALANCE  
  
A Tenchi Muyo Fanfiction  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Tenchi Muyo belong to AIC and Pioneer LDC. They are used without permission.  
  
  
Part II  
Righteous Indignation   
  
  
Was that blood on his hands?   
  
"Are you finished yet?" The young man asked with agitation clear in his voice. He looked down at his hands and the tinge of bluish-crimson that stained them. Maybe it wasn't blood.  
  
"Not yet. Patience," his companion answered.  
  
The young man subconsciously began to rub the palms of his hands against the coarse fabric of his pants as he started to pace back and forth in the small room. "How much longer?"  
  
This time yesterday, he was sitting in a slightly noisy and comfortably warm calculus class. Today, he was light-years away from home, breaking into some police computer in a room that was too damned cold! He again looked down at his hands. Cursing at what he saw, he resumed rubbing them against his legs.  
  
"Almost there," his accomplice again answered with a calm voice.  
  
"Well hurry up!"  
  
"As you wish... my Prince," he added after a pause, a smirk coming to his lips. Though his back was turned to the boy, Tenchi, he knew the response his remark would elicit. He could literally feel the heat radiating from the boy's anger. 'Such power, all it lacks was direction... a focus.'  
  
"I told you not to call me that, Kagato! I have nothing to do with Jurai!"  
  
'...A focus I am more than happy to provide you with. You shall succeed where she failed. It will be perfect!' "Of course, of course, my apologies. Tenchi it is," Kagato said turning around to briefly face Tenchi and give an elegant bow in acquiesce.   
  
Tenchi did not know what to make of the gesture. He knew of what his grandfather had told him of Kagato, and despite yesterday's events, he still trusted his grandfather. He needed to be wary. Tenchi accepted the apology with a slight nod of his head and continued his pacing of the room.  
  
Kagato returned his attention to the computer terminal through which he had hacked access into the GP mainframe. Though quite pleased with how things were going so far, one detail was not occurring on schedule. They were late. Someone from the Galaxy Police should have been here by now. 'No accounting for incompetence,' Kagato's mind spat in annoyance as he tripped a few more security alarms.  
  
Still angered, Tenchi sat down by the entryway and tried to calm himself. He drew his knees to his chest, rested his elbows on them and covered his face with the palms of his hands. 'Tenchi, what do you think you're doing?' He asked himself for what was probably the thousandth time. For a moment he held perfectly still, his bloodstained hands gaining his attention again. He raised his head just enough to glance down at the man... creature... thing, who had been working in the room when they arrived and had the misfortune of meeting Tenchi Masaki this day. There was a pool of... blood? that was forming at the base of its neck. Guilt began to well with in Tenchi as feared he had hit the thing too hard.  
  
'Did it feel pain?'  
  
Tenchi had been surprised when he opened the door to the computer room and saw the creature standing there. It was the first time he had ever seen an alien... well, there was Kagato, but he looked human, mostly. But that wasn't human, or so he tried to reason to himself. He had held nothing back when he struck, moving more on instinct than on thought.  
  
Still no movement, it hadn't moved so much as a millimeter since it had been hit. There was no rise and fall of its chest.  
  
'Did it need to breathe? Was it dead? Did I kill it?' His eyes bore into the still creature as if attempting to see past the uniform and fur to check for a beating heart. No longer able to take not knowing, Tenchi quickly moved the short distance to the creature's side. He gently turned it over on its back.  
  
"Having regrets?"  
  
Tenchi turned his gaze from the fallen dog-like creature to stare harshly at the back of the man who had opened his eyes to the truth and destroyed his quiet simple life, all in one day. "I'm no murderer," Tenchi replied evenly, trying to find a pulse. "You said that the room was empty." Tenchi made no attempt to hide the mistrust in his voice.  
  
If Kagato noticed, he gave no sign of it. He continued to bypass the security lockouts that were guarding the information they were after. "The Souja's scanners indicated minimal life signs. This is a remote relay station and isn't normally manned. He was probably out here doing scheduled maintenance and the electromagnetic field from the equipment interfered with Souja's scan. He was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. You should read the thesis I wrote on the causality effect as it relates to what some refer to as luck. It is quite fascinating if I may say so," Kagato said in all seriousness, pausing in his work to address Tenchi directly. "You still haven't answered my question." He returned his attention back to the computer terminal but continued to speak. "Any regrets? Is she worth it? Is she worth that?" He asked pointing behind himself to the unmoving form on the floor.  
  
Tenchi stopped his resuscitation efforts and stared at the man on the floor. He had decided that it was indeed a person or at the very least had the rights of a person, no matter what it may have looked like. His mother had taught better than to think otherwise. He couldn't rationalize his behavior by dehumanizing his opponent. What would she think of him? He continued to look down at the figure as it lay there. Suddenly, it was no longer some unknown alien, but a young woman with black hair that reached the small of her back. She was dirty. Her clothes were tore and a thin line of blood ran down from one of the corners of her small mouth. He was no longer on a remote terminal station out in space, but in a small clearing about a hundred meters from the cave he played near. He was six years old again and he was deathly afraid... but not for his own welfare. Worst of all was the look on their attacker's face, the contempt in her eyes as her lion's mane of cyan hair raged in the wind. He found he could not look away from that face as she quietly laughed and moved towards them. There was nothing the small six-year-old Tenchi could do, as he clung to the limp form of his mother for as long as he could, looking into those cold eyes... nothing.  
  
Emotion and power surged through him as he clenched both hands into fists. He was no longer that scared little boy and he'd be damned if he would do nothing as his grandfather had done.  
  
No... No regrets.  
  
"I'll do whatever it takes," Tenchi said quietly at first, then again with more confidence, "Whatever it takes. You can be sure of that Kagato. I *will* see this through to its end."  
  
Kagato smirked, which was a close as he could come to a genuine smile. He didn't need the scanners of the Souja to detect the surge in energy coming from the boy. He could feel it. It poured out of him like sweat at times. Of the preliminary tests and scans he was able to conduct of the young prince in subterfuge, none had been out of the ordinary or could indicate the source of such power. It was a mystery, a puzzle, and a challenge, one that the genius inside of him could not help but accept. 'Yes, Tenchi, you make an interesting study and a powerful tool.' Kagato turned to face Tenchi again; he looked most pleased with the young prince's answer. "Good, leadership requires strength. You will run into many pawns like him before you can confront the King. Maybe even a princess or two."  
  
  
  
"You look like death warmed over," Ryoko noted as she and Yosho slowly made their way out of her seven hundred-year-old prison. "Someone sure kicked the crap out of you," she continued to the old man's back.  
  
Finally, the two of them emerged from the grotto and into the warmth of a spring day. Ryoko looked up into the endless blue sky and stretched her long arms. She couldn't help but smile. She wanted to touch everything, smell everything, and feel everything. Gently she closed her eyes and drew in the ambient energy of her surroundings using her three gems. She had to remind herself to be frugal with the energy of her gems, less she become intoxicated with their power.  
  
Slowly she opened her eyes and hugged herself tightly. It all felt so wonderful. She looked over to Yosho, who was leaning against a tree for support. He had a small gash to his forehead, which caused crimson to blend with the gray of his bangs. His glasses hung cracked and bent around his neck. His clothes were tattered and dirty. 'Here was the Crowned Prince of planet Jurai,' Ryoko thought mockingly to herself.  
  
Yosho slumped to the ground, clutching at his left side in obvious pain. Ryoko could tell from experience that he had several broken ribs. Someone had definitely done a number on the universe's greatest swordsman. A satisfied smirk appeared on Ryoko's face. It was about time that someone kicked his ass. She only wished she could have been the one to do it... or at least gotten to watch. Her cat-like eyes narrowed ominously. It wasn't too late. In his current state, it wouldn't even be a fight. Justice for seven hundred years in Hell was hers for the taking. She drew her palm closed, a ball of pure energy coalescing in her hand.  
  
Yosho raised his head and saw her unsympathetic smile. "Am I that handsome that I warrant such a grin? I'm flattered." He hoped that the rumors were true: that she hadn't been in control of herself when she attacked Jurai and that the seven hundred-year imprisonment had mellowed her fire. He was in desperate need of her help. She may be the only being short of Tsunami, herself, who stood a chance.  
  
"Still cocky as ever I see. Juraians, the whole damned race, are a bunch of arrogant know-it-alls." All except one, the one reason she wanted to be free more than any other. She didn't have time to waste on this old man. She had to find Tenchi, so they could play. For a moment she contemplated using the ball of energy in her hands to destroy her prison, but decided against it. It was where she and Tenchi met for the first time after all... sort of any ways. No, she had a better use for that cave. She turned her attention back to Yosho.  
  
"Well Yosho, thanks for freeing me from the cave and all. It really has been swell, but there is someone I need to introduce myself to," she said waving goodbye before teleporting away. Yosho didn't even have time to raise a word in protest.  
  
Katsuhito (Yosho) Masaki sighed, as he lay slumped up against a tree. Though it had been hundreds of years since he had held tenchiken in his hands, he had still been able to get impressions from his tree-ship, Funaho, during that time. Thank Tsunami those impressions had been correct. Ryoko had changed. The fact that she hadn't ripped out his throat at first sight was proof of that. Now, if what else Funaho had gleamed from her charge was true, then he could wait here. Not that he could have gone after her in his condition. Yes, she would be back if she wanted to find Tenchi. He only hoped that desire was enough to give her the strength she would need to confront her greatest fear.  
  
  
  
"Mihoshi!" came the shout from the floating monitor screen as it winked on in the deserted cockpit of the Galaxy Police cruiser Yukinojo.   
  
"I swear Detective First Class Mihoshi will be the death of me," swore the regional chief of the galaxy police for sector 0300. It wasn't so much that Mihoshi was a poor detective. In fact, she had an excellent arrest record. It was because she took half the annual police budget to do it. She was chaos embodied, that coupled with the fact she was the Grand Marshal's granddaughter made Mihoshi the biggest source of stress in his life. Being around her was like walking on glass in more ways than one.  
  
"Coming... Coming!" Mihoshi's voice called from the interior of the ship. "I'll be right there!"  
  
"Hurry up, detective," the chief said impatiently. While he awaited Mihoshi's arrival, he busied himself with some of the reports and request that were beginning to pile up on his desk. There was one in particular that he was sure was going to add to his migraine. The First Princess of the Juraian Royal Family, Princess Aeka, and her sister, the Princess Sasami, were requesting escort through this sector of space. The Ryu-oh was also requesting any information on the passage of the tree-ship, Funaho, through this region. Well, he had no clue as to where the Funaho was, but now that he knew where to find the Ryu-oh, he'd have to report it to his Juraian superiors. Which meant lying to his G.P. superiors, false reports and doctored logs... all in all, one big headache. He placed his head in his hands and shook it in resignation. This job would be the death of him yet.  
  
"Detective First Class Mihoshi reporting as ordered Chief!"  
  
Upon hearing Mihoshi's voice the regional chief picked up his head and quickly spun to face the opposite direction a moment later, blushing fiercely.  
  
"De... Detective Mihoshi... Please explain your appearance,' he choked out.  
  
Mihoshi moved a clump of her long blonde wet hair from in front of one of her eyes, and tightened the towel she had wrapped around her otherwise nude body. "Sorry Chief, I was in the shower when you called. Since you said to 'hurry up', I thought..."  
  
"Never... never mind. We have detected a breech at one of our top secret data storage facilities," Mihoshi's boss said over his shoulder. "Attempts to contact the personnel on the station have failed." He finally gathered enough courage to face the sight of a nearly nude granddaughter of a GP Marshal. "Long range sensors have also indicated the possibility of the Souja in that area. As you know, the Souja is the vessel of the Most Wanted Criminal, Kagato." Mihoshi nodded and the chief continued. "Detective Mihoshi, you orders are..."  
  
"Right! I am to investigate the break in at our top-secret base and confirm the involvement of the Most Wanted Criminal Kagato! You can count on me, Chief. If Kagato is involved, I'll bring him in!" Mihoshi said excitedly.  
  
"No! No! I wanted you to scan your sector for any indications of..." he shouted, but to no avail.  
  
"Detective First Class Mihoshi is on her way!" Mihoshi declared snapping to attention and offering a crisp salute.  
  
"But... but..." the regional chief cried out, but Mihoshi was no longer listening. She executed a sharp about-face, so sharp that her towel fell off and without noticing, Mihoshi left the bridge to put on her uniform. "Butt! Butt!" the chief stammered, his eyes bulging before collapsing on to the floor.  
  
  
  
Katsuhito Masaki stretched his sore arms and legs before sitting down for a cup of tea inside the humble Masaki shrine. He thought about the events of the last two days and sighed. He had practically raised Tenchi since that day twelve years ago. He had tried to guide Tenchi the best he could, telling him what he needed to know and shielding him from what he didn't. The question that now floated through his mind was... had it been a mistake.   
  
Refilling his cup, Katsuhito then produced a second glass and filled it with tea as well. He slid it across the table and waited. He didn't have long to wait.  
  
"Good evening, Ryoko," he greeted the empty air and sipped from his cup.  
  
"Alright, where is he?" a threatening voice asked followed by the sound of compressed air escaping, a half second later, Ryoko materialized into the room. Her golden eyes flashed in the subdued light of the shrine and the expression on the face left no room for doubt as to her mood.  
  
"Where is who?" Katsuhito asked as if unconcerned of the glowing eyes staring at him. "Please sit and have some tea," he said motioning to the steaming cup of green tea in front of her.  
  
Ryoko removed her hands from her hips and smashed the teacup with a hand, shattering it and splitting the small wooden table in the process. Still staring at Katsuhito, her expression unchanged, she placed her hands back on her hips.  
  
Katsuhito raised an eyebrow at the display and removed the splinters of wood from his clothing. True, she had mellowed some, but apparently there was still a good amount of fire with in her. Good, she would need it.  
  
"I'll ask you a final time. Where is he?"  
  
"By 'he', do you mean Tenchi?"  
  
"Who the Hell else would I mean! I've searched all over this damned place!" She yelled, her anger and frustration growing with every word. "I even remembered where his father lived and checked there!" Her arms swung wildly as she spoke. "Not a sign of him. Where is he? Are you hiding him from me!" She opened her palm and it began to fill with balls of energy. "WHERE IS TENCHI!" She closed her palm and formed an orange blade of pure energy. "TELL ME!" She threatened and pointed her sword at the old man's throat. There looked to be tears forming in her angry eyes and her voice nearly pleaded as much as it demanded.  
  
Katsuhito stood, slowly walked passed her and out of the shrine door without so much as acknowledging her. He looked up at the darkening sky and at the first sprinkling of stars. He wasn't ignoring Ryoko, nor was he indifferent to her feelings. What he was doing was going over what he wanted to say and working over how he wanted to say it.   
  
A moment later his thoughts were broken by a voice that was far different than the one he had heard earlier. It was soft and forlorn. It was like that of a child asking for a parent or the whimpering of a puppy. It was a voice that only a heart of stone would not answer. It simply said "Please."  
  
He turned around to look at another Ryoko staring back at him in the doorway. Not the Ryoko who had attacked Jurai, nor the one he had freed from the cave that afternoon, nor even the Ryoko of a moment ago, who demanded to know the whereabouts of his grandson, she was almost completely different. This Ryoko was sad, almost pitiful. Tears were beginning to stream down her flushing cheeks and her eyes implored him to listen to her. Her shoulders were slumped and her arms hung loosely at her sides. She raised her head, and again simply said, "Please."  
  
This was the Ryoko he needed. This was the Ryoko who could bring his grandson home.   
  
"Yosho, I know that we've never gotten along and that my past is..." she began pleadingly, but Katsuhito raised a hand to quiet her.  
  
"That is all in the past, Ryoko," he said and sat down on the porch of the shrine. He took a deep breath. "Ryoko, there is something you need to know and something I would like to ask you. Please, sit down."  
  
  
  
Kagato looked at the flashing indicator on his wrist and smiled. It was about time the Galaxy Police had arrived; he had all but hung up a flashing sign indicating their presence. He turned off the Souja's automated defenses so that the approaching GP cruiser could approach the station unmolested. There was someone he wanted them to meet.   
  
"Kagato! Help me out here!" Tenchi yelled and pointed to the fallen GP Tech on the floor.   
  
Kagato smirked and knelt down besides Tenchi. "I'll see what I can do. I am fairly versed in this species' anatomy. I should be able to render first aid."  
  
A look of relief crossed Tenchi's face and his body visibly relaxed. "So he'll be okay?"  
  
"I'll know in a moment," Kagato replied somewhat dispassionately. "I believe there are some medical supplies on level four near the docking bay," he said looking up at Tenchi.  
  
Tenchi immediately got the hint. He rose quickly. "I'll go get them right away. I think I remember the way to the docking bay. It's where we arrived, right?"  
  
"Correct," Kagato answered and continued to administer first aid.  
  
"I'll be right back," Tenchi said eagerly and ran from the room.  
  
Kagato waited until he no longer heard Tenchi's footsteps and rose from the floor. The boy would no doubt run into that Galaxy Police officer on his way to the docking bay. He had confidence that the young prince would avoid arrest and report back, which is exactly as it should be. Looking down at the unconscious Tech officer, Kagato's smirk darkened into an evil grin. He was merely suffering from a concussion and would most likely regain consciousness soon. The only reason Tenchi hadn't found a pulse was because he hadn't known where to look for one.  
  
'Assault of a Galaxy Police officer...' Kagato raised a hand, and the limp body rose from the floor '...was that even a crime? In any case, it certainly wasn't befitting a Crowned Prince.' The tech officer's head began to lift then fell again and his arms began to stir. 'Now *murder* of a Galaxy Police officer...' Kagato closed his fist and the tech officer's body began to jerk and struggle as if someone was choking the life from it. As the body ceased its feeble movements and became still once more, Kagato dropped his hands and let it fall lifelessly to the floor.   
  
And it was a lifeless body that Tenchi found when he returned with the medical supplies. "Hey, A ship just pulled into the docking bay. I think we..." Tenchi said before noticing the body on the floor. The technician's shirt had been removed and placed over his head. The case of supplies he was holding dropped to the floor as both his arms and legs became weak. Tenchi steadied himself by leaning on the doorframe for support.  
  
Kagato stood off in a corner of the room and observed Tenchi with a careful eye. "We were wasting our time. I speculate your initial blow ruptured one of his arteries. He passed on soon after you left." Kagato walked over to stand beside the body and looked pointedly at Tenchi.  
  
"I... I killed him? I..." Tenchi stammered, before his knees buckled beneath him. He could feels his insides wrench and he doubled over nauseated.   
  
Kagato kneeled down and yanked the shirt off the deceased technician, revealing the cold reality of Tenchi's deed. "Look," Kagato demanded. Tenchi raised his head for a moment and looked at the unmoving form before turning away again, his stomach emptying of its contents.  
  
"This is what you have to look forward to," Kagato continued his voice harsh. Now was the time to determine just how far the boy could be pushed and whether or not he would be of any real use. "This is what will be asked of you if you wish to reach your goal."  
  
Coughing and clearing his throat of the remnants of his stomach, Tenchi forced himself to look a second time. Tenchi's breathing was erratic and his chest heaved, but he didn't turn away. His eyes bore into the corpse on the floor as Kagato continued to speak. "You think that he was innocent?" Kagato asked pointing to the body. "You think you killed some protector of the law? Allow me to inform you of what it is you have done and who it is that lies before you on the floor."  
  
Tenchi continued to look on. His breathing slowed, the air forcefully leaving his lungs in controlled burst. Kagato inwardly smiled, the boy was listening.  
  
"Here before you is a member of the Galaxy Police, lapdogs of the Jurai Royal Family. Their stated mission is to patrol the nonaligned sectors of the galaxy and police intersystem commerce. Nonaligned worlds see them as their balance to the might of the Juraian Empire, but nothing is farther from the truth. The Jurai are like a cancer and the Galaxy Police are not immune to the malignancy." Reaching into the folds of his clothing, Kagato pulled out a device that resembled a large pen and threw it at Tenchi. "This is just some of the information I was able to extract from their data network."  
  
Tenchi caught the device. It took him a few moments, but he was finally able to activate it by twisting the pen along its length. A small screen appeared between the two lengths full of information that Tenchi didn't understand.   
  
"You may not understand what it is you hold there, but in time you will know. For now think of it this way, where were these protectors of the innocent, this balance to Jurai's authority, twelve years ago? Where were they when you need them? Where were they when *she* needed them?"  
  
Tenchi lowered his head deep in thought. Kagato allowed him a moment for what he said to sink in. The information he had given Tenchi did indeed contain data linking certain members of the Galaxy Police with Juraian intelligence. It was a complicated list of coded transmissions and false logs. Kagato knew that Tenchi would not be able to follow or even read the strange symbols and letters in the report, but that was not point. Trust... or the idea of it was.  
  
Finally, Tenchi raised his head and stood. His shoulders straight and stance firm, Tenchi put the pen into his pocket and again reaffirmed his resolve. When he spoke, the quaver in voice was gone. "Was there any information about her in the databank? Where do we head from here?"  
  
Kagato smiled, bearing his pearl white teeth. "I still need to look at the data in depth, some of it is highly encoded. I could easily break the code manually given time, however haste is necessary, so I need the computers aboard Souja." Now for the hook... "But, I did notice a log entry listing ships entering Earth's sector of space during the time period in question. We need only identify and isolate those ships."   
  
Tenchi smiled and Kagato patted him on the shoulder reassuredily. "Now then, you did say we had guests?" Kagato asked.  
  
"Ah! That's right! A ship pulled into the docking bay while I was searching for medical supplies."  
  
"It is most likely another G.P. officer. I need to finish downloading the computer databank. We don't want to leave the job half finished. Tenchi, you go delay the officer while I complete things here."  
  
Tenchi hesitated and Kagato knew why. "You needn't eliminate the officer just delay him." He handed Tenchi his wooden bokken. Tenchi took it hesitantly. "If it will help, think of yourself and your opponent as soldiers in a war."  
  
Tenchi nodded grimly and turned to leave, but Kagato put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Take this also," Kagato said, handing Tenchi a metallic gray colored egg.  
  
"What's this?" Tenchi asked curious.  
  
"A gift and insurance if we should get separated," was all Kagato said.   
  
Tenchi shrugged and placed the egg in the backpack he carried. He quickly left the room, thinking how he could slow the approaching GP officer.  
  
  
  
"This story really starts seven hundred years ago," Katsuhito began. "However, we really don't have time for that. What you really need to know happened twelve years ago. What happened that day is what led Tenchi to leave."  
  
"Leave?" Ryoko exclaimed. "Leave where? Where did he go!"  
  
Katsuhito raised a hand and Ryoko calmed down. "Listen, I will tell you. I had a daughter, Tenchi's mother..."  
  
"Tell me something that I don't know. Like where Tenchi is!" Ryoko demanded.  
  
"Listen!" Katsuhito said sternly.  
  
Ryoko again forced herself to calm down. The expression on Katsuhito's face and the tone of his voice let Ryoko know just how serious the story she about to hear was.  
  
Katsuhito began again. "Twelve years ago, my daughter, Achika, died or so most people believe. In truth... in truth, she was killed or so I was led to believe."  
  
Ryoko opened her mouth to speak, but paused as Katsuhito continued.  
  
"My father, the Emperor, is a very proud man and twelve years ago he learned of my location on Earth and of my family here. It was his desire for me to return to Jurai and reassume my role as the crowned prince and eventual heir. I had no such intentions and told him so numerous times. He sent several messengers and we had several arguments through these proxies. Then one day they stopped coming. I thought perhaps my father had finally understood, I was wrong. Apparently, it was his view that the only thing keeping me on Earth was my misguided loyalty to my earth family. With my wife passed away, that family consisted of Achika, her husband and Tenchi."  
  
Slowly Ryoko's eyes widened as her memory of the past returned to her. She knew where this story was going. It had been on that day...  
  
"I don't know the details of what happened that day twelve years ago. What I do know is that my daughter went into the woods for a walk with Tenchi. Only much later did Tenchi return and all he could say was that she was gone. My father contacted me the following day. He said that now that there was nothing keeping me on Earth that he expected me home. It was then I knew what happened. I don't know how Tenchi managed to survive."  
  
Ryoko did.  
  
"Yosho, Crowned Prince of Jurai, died that day as well and as much as I wanted vengeance for what he had done, I had Tenchi to think of. I could honor his mother best by looking after her child. His father was in no condition to do so."  
  
"But... where is Tenchi now? How..." Ryoko pleaded.  
  
"I *believed* my daughter dead, but yesterday evening I learned that that might not be the case. I would have left in search of her myself, if the source of the information had not been so untrustworthy. Tenchi, however, did not have my insight as to the nature of this man and was completed blinded by the news that his mother may be *alive*. He left with the man to search for the truth."  
  
Sounded like something she would do, if she were in Tenchi's place. Ryoko stood, happy to finally have a lead on Tenchi. With her three gems and Ryo-Ohki, it would only be a matter of time before she found him. "No problem, Yosh... I mean, Katsuhito. Just tell me who it is Tenchi went off with and what their ship looked like and I'll find him!"  
  
Katsuhito stood and fixed Ryoko with a stare. "Ryoko, it was Kagato, who came for Tenchi."  
  
  
  
Detective First Class Mihoshi had her eyes fixed to the readout on her sensor watch. Kagato was definitely in the station along with two other lifeforms. One was crystalline based, the other seemed to be a carbon based humanoid. There were no other life signs in a station that should have had a crew of fifteen. Gulping, she drew her service revolver. The humanoid was approaching from behind the next corner...  
  
  
  



	3. Trial by Fire

A SOUL'S BALANCE  
A Tenchi Muyo Fan fiction  
  
The characters of Tenchi Muyo are the property of AIC and Pioneer LDC. They are used without permission.  
  
"Love is the master key, which opens the gates of happiness."  
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes ~  
  
  
Part III:  
  
  
'How long has it been since I was last here?' she wondered before laughing at her own question. 'When I was last here, I had no idea of the human concept of time,' the goddess Tsunami thought with a smile on her face, enjoying the feeling of the wind in her hair. As she rode the circular disc toward the hall of her sister, she watched the splendor and beauty of her surroundings pass by with the wondrous eye of a child. She had to force herself to remember the reason she had come and the expression on this normally joyful being became grim.  
  
  
  
"Ryoko, it was Kagato who came for Tenchi," Katsuhito explained to her, carefully watching and gauging her reaction.  
  
At first she stood perfectly still, then Ryoko's expression became lost as if she no longer knew who or where she was. With confused eyes she looked over at Yosho.  
  
"Ryoko, did you hear what I said?" Katsuhito asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. After a moment without an answer, he was about to repeat his question, when Ryoko's face began to darken with a slowly building rage. Suddenly, her legs lost the will to stand and she fell to her knees. Her fists were tightly clenched and she appeared to be whispering quietly to herself.   
Katsuhito feared that she was not ready for this but he really had no one else he could turn to. So he watched and waited.  
  
"What was I thinking? What made me think that I could be happy?" Ryoko said quietly to herself, but the volume of her voice was raising parallel with her anger. Her three gems began to give off a dull glow and her eyes burned. "He has controlled my life for as long as can I remember, what made me think now would be different?" Fiercely she stood, her eyes bearing down on Katsuhito. "This is my fault... If it weren't for me, Tenchi would still be safe. Kagato must have come to retrieve me and Tenchi got in the way somehow, but I *swear to you this!*" Ryoko's eyes and three gems sparked with power and anger. "He will *not* get away with it! If it cost me my life I will make him pay for taking Tenchi!"  
  
Katsuhito tried to calm her down and explain how it was Tenchi came to be traveling with Kagato. "Ryoko, it was not your fault. If there is anyone to blame it is Tenchi for his brashness and myself for my arrogance..."  
  
Ryoko wasn't listening. The one person who had given her hope after seven hundred years of despair was in the hands of the man who had corrupted her very being. She wouldn't allow such an innocent and pure person like Tenchi to stay in that thing's presence a moment longer. She held her hands before herself so that both palms faced each other and concentrated her will. 'RYO-OHKI!'  
  
"Ryoko!"  
  
Ryoko's face was a mask of fury. Katsuhito's pleas fell on deaf ears as the only thing Ryoko could hear were an imaginary Tenchi's cries for help. A noise not unlike the rumbling of thunder made its way over the lush hills and through the teeming forests, causing animals to scatter in fear and birds to take flight. "RYO-OHKI!" Ryoko screamed aloud, her eyes alight with an anger that boarded on madness. She was answered by a howl not heard in seven hundred years. The sound of it was almost enough to break through the nightmare and bring a smile to Ryoko's face.  
  
"MMMRREEEOOOOWWW"  
  
Still stiff from his earlier injuries, Katsuhito stood and again tried to gain Ryoko's attention. She had to know the whole story if she were going to succeed. If she proceeded in this state and attacked the Souja, Kagato would take control over her again or merely destroy her and Ryo-Ohki with Tenchi never even knowing that she ever existed. He had to stop her from leaving. Words having failed, Katsuhito resorted to more desperate means.  
  
Ryoko's eyes focused on the huge form of Ryo-Ohki as the black crystalline ship flew just above the treetops and came to a stop over the heads of her mistress and Katsuhito, dripping wet from its rebirth. With the distraction, Ryoko never noticed Katsuhito approach her from behind and touch the hilt of tenchiken to her back. She fell to her knees as the air was filled with the smell of ozone and the sound of her scream.  
  
Katsuhito had briefly touched Ryoko with his sword before quickly pulling it away, merely trying to break through her rage. He closed his eyes in sympathy for her pain, but she had to be made to listen. He had to *make* her listen; too much was riding on this. He prayed that his desperate action hadn't destroyed what rationality Ryoko had left and that she would allow him to explain.  
  
"I'm truly sorry, I had to do that," he began to say to the recovering Ryoko. "But you must list..."  
  
An explosion blew Katsuhito off his feet and threw him back several meters. As he attempted to stand, Ryo-Ohki's angry howl filled his ears. The sentient ship apparently took exception to the way he chose to regain Ryoko's attention and came to the defense of its mistress. Ryo-Ohki continued her assault, the fact that Ryoko was recovering nearby, the only thing that kept the cabbit from incinerating the whole area.  
  
Through the translucent shield that his tree ship, Funaho, produced to protect him from Ryo-Ohki's attack, Katsuhito saw the look of betrayal and hatred on Ryoko's face. With a pained expression, Katsuhito began to realize that a battle started seven hundred years ago had resumed.   
  
  
  
The air in the station was abnormally cold as Mihoshi's visible breath made abundantly clear. In her mind, she took that as the cause of the shivers randomly shooting through her body. No, it wasn't fear. She was just cold. Nope, not fear. Assured of herself once more, she hugged one of the corners of the T-shaped corridor and glanced down at her sensor watch again. The humanoid and crystalline based life forms were making slow but steady progress towards her position.   
  
  
  
At that moment, in another pocket of reality, Tsunami appeared in the darkened hall of her sister, Tokimi. The room was empty save for the large round platform on which the blue haired goddess stood.  
  
"Tokimi, sister, I would speak with you," Tsunami said rather formally.  
  
For a time there was silence. "Do you think he will kill her?" A voice asked from out of the darkness with a tone of curiosity.  
  
"What?" Tsunami replied confused.  
  
"Will he kill her?" The voice asked again.   
  
The platform on which Tsunami stood became translucent, before finally revealing a scene of a tall blond woman in Galaxy Police combat dress pressed flat against a wall, waiting in ambush. Just a round the corner from which she stood, a young man wearing a backpack was slowly walking down a perpendicular hallway carrying a wooden bokken. The two were still some distance apart.  
  
"Tenchi will do no such thing! I do not know what it is you..." Tsunami began.  
  
"I agree. He will not kill the Galaxy Police officer," Tokimi interrupted, appearing next to her sister.   
  
Tsunami looked over at her "little sister". "What are you doing here in this dimension?"   
  
Not looking away from the scene beneath her feet, Tokimi answered. "I would ask the same of you, Sister, but I believe our answers would be similar."  
  
On the station, Mihoshi took a quick peek around the corner. Seeing the humanoid about to reach her, she released the safety on her service revolver, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'One... Two...'  
  
"THREE!" She quickly executed a forward roll, coming up into a crouch position with weapon ready. "FREEZE! DROP YOUR WEAPON, RAISE YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR AND GET DOWN ON THE GROUND!" Mihoshi commanded, too bad no one was there.  
  
"Huh?" Mihoshi wondered standing up. "Where did he go?" She looked to her left and then her right. 'Damn!' She thought and instantly swung her gun around.  
  
Though he had been looking for the Galaxy Police officer, Tenchi's mind kept drifting back to the man he had killed. Looking down at his bluish stained hands he didn't notice the blond haired police woman slowly counting to herself as he took the corner right and began walking away from her. "THREE" he suddenly heard someone shout cutting through his inattention. Rapidly pivoting, Tenchi turned to face his adversary, bring down his bokken in a downward stroke in the same motion.  
  
Mihoshi screamed in pain as the wooden bokken struck across both wrists. Her armor kept her bones from breaking, but the simple wooden sword proved to be far more damaging then its appearance would allow.  
  
Her scream was quickly followed by Tenchi's, as the blaster he had struck from Mihoshi's hand, clattered to the ground and fired, stunning him in the right arm. It became completely numb, his bokken joining the blaster on the ground.  
  
The two stood motionless, measuring the other.  
  
There was a glimpse of a smile on Lady Tokimi's face. "What an interesting dimension."  
  
  
  
The blasts poured down like rain on the three weakening Light Hawk Wings Funaho was using to protect Yosho. With the three gems no longer in the hilt of tenchiken, this output of power was quickly draining the ancient tree. Then the blasts stopped. Yosho turned his gaze to Ryoko.  
  
The look on Ryoko's face said one thing: You are going to die in the worst way imaginable. Her three gems glowed brighter than stars as she saved up the energy for a final blast to shatter Yosho's fluttering shield. "How dare you," she said accusingly. "You cowardly bastard, HOW DARE YOU USE HIM AGAINST ME!" She yelled and thrusted her arms forward.  
  
He had beaten her once, but he held no misconception of being able to do it again. Before she was fighting for a man she despised. Now she was fighting for what she believed was her only chance at love. Further more, Yosho was still smarting from his earlier injuries. He had little few options left to him.  
  
Electricity arced from Ryoko's body causing small fires where they danced along the ground. She grinned devilishly at him. "Rest assured, Yosho. I *will* find Tenchi and I'll tell him how you wanted me to take care of him for you and give him your farewell after you spontaneously combusted."  
  
Yosho sighed and had Funaho drop her shield. It wouldn't have blocked Ryoko's attack anyway. He stood and turned his back to Ryoko. "Do as you please, demon. I tire of your company. Tenchi may be a fool, running off as he did with Kagato, but at least I can go to my eternal rest knowing he will not be burdened with the likes of you as well. You will not find him. You were a slave to Kagato seven hundred years ago and you still are a slave. This time to your emotions"  
  
"Humph, I will not fall for your talk this time, Prince," Ryoko scoffed.  
  
"Then fire. Tenchi has enough problems without adding you to them. I just pray that he has the strength he needs to resists Kagato's evil." Yosho closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in prayer. "But before you do fire, join me in praying for the man you claim to care for. He will need it, if he is not to become a slave to Kagato and his emotions as you are."  
  
Ryoko's arms began to shake. "You're lying! You're trying to trick me! Just tell me where Tenchi is!"  
  
"I've already told you," Yosho said in an even voice.  
  
"YOU'RE LYING! TELL ME OR I'LL KILL YOU!"  
  
"Then kill me."  
  
The tears again began to flow freely down Ryoko's cheeks and her whole frame shook. "TELL ME!"   
  
Yosho was silent.  
  
"TELL ME!" Ryoko screamed, forming a huge ball of energy between her quivering hands. The large ship hovering in the sky disappeared, in its place a small cabbit hopped to the side of her mistress. Ryo-Ohki meowed worriedly at Ryoko's feet.  
  
Still Yosho said nothing and stood motionless, waiting for Ryoko's blast. It finally came, incinerating everything its path.  
  
  
  
Mihoshi moved first, instinct taking over where intellect was paralyzed. With her left leg, she lashed out with a crescent kick. His right arm paralyzed, Tenchi was unable to bring his left arm around in time to block. The blow to his chin spun him around. With his back to her Mihoshi followed instantly with a roundhouse kick of her right leg. The kick impacted on Tenchi's right cheek and forced his head into the adjoining wall. He fell to the floor unconscious. Mihoshi let out the breath she had been holding.  
  
"You, sir, are under arrest."  
  
In Lady Tokimi's realm, a smile returned to Tsunami's face. True, having the person she had planned on grooming to assume the throne of Jurai have a jail record wasn't a good thing, but it wasn't something she couldn't work around. And it was infinitely better than having him stay in Kagato's company. Tsunami turned to her sister, her smile even larger now.   
  
"And that is that. I do not know why you sent Kagato after Tenchi," Tsunami began. "Yes, I know it was you," she added noticing Tokimi's smallish grin. "But they end now."  
  
"Patience, Sister, not all the pawns are in play yet."  
  
  
  
Tapping into the station's internal security system, Kagato laughed at Tenchi's pitiful attempt to delay the officer. "Well boy, I guess that is one way of going about it," he mused as he saw the officer place restraints around Tenchi's hands and with a grunt of pain lift the unconscious boy on to her shoulders. Kagato having finished his search of the GP database for information on Tsunami and Jurai had returned to the Souja with ease. Now he turned his attention to his lab rat, Tenchi, being carried threw the maze toward the waiting GP cruiser.   
  
It was time for his next experiment.  
  
Mihoshi, despite the pain in both wrists was making good time back to her shuttle. Reaching the shuttle bay, she placed the still unconscious man down and keyed for the hatch release for her shuttle. As the gears and servos of the door whined, she took a moment to appraise her captive. He didn't look like the typical space pirate or felon. In fact he was kind of cute... for a murderous cop killer. It was with that strange thought going through her mind that her shuttle exploded.  
  
Kagato ceased the Souja's firing on the station. The continuous chain of cascading explosions told him that the station was doomed. No point in wasting any more energy there. If the boy could be defeated by one lone police officer, he was hardly worth Kagato's time. No better than that defective Ryoko. Kagato would give him one more test.  
  
Mihoshi scrambled away from the falling debris of the crumbling shuttle bay, dragging Tenchi behind her with her aching wrists. Reaching the structural security of the room's doorway, she reached into her back pocket for her control cube in hopes of transporting herself and her prisoner to the waiting Yukinojo.   
  
"What's going on?" Tenchi said groggily trying to stand.   
  
"Shh... don't confuse me," Mihoshi chastised, turning sections of the small cube in this and that direction. Another explosion shook the room.  
  
"Hey! This place is gonna blow! We have to get out here! Quick, take these cuffs off, I'm no good to you like this!" Tenchi yelled.  
  
"Whose fault is that Mr. Criminal? And anyway it is against Galaxy Police regulation 62... 6... 26... anyway it is against the rules to unrestrain a prisoner before they are booked."   
  
Finally, the bulkhead they were under began to collapse. Dashing forward, Tenchi shouldered Mihoshi out of the way, ramming her out of harms way and into the far wall. She slumped to the ground dazed. Tenchi thought furiously of how best to escape. There would be no going through the now destroyed shuttle bay. He could run deeper into the station, but that would probably be just delaying the inevitable. He looked down at the woozy Mihoshi. He couldn't just leave her to die either, but with his hands clasped behind his back and his right arm still numb...  
  
He screamed in frustration, the sounds of ever increasing explosions echoing in his ears. He couldn't die here. He just couldn't!  
  
"MOTHER!"   
  
From his vantage point, a safe distance away aboard Souja, Kagato viewed the scene before him with the dispassionate and analytical eyes of a scientist; measuring the structural integrity of the stations construction, the tensile strength and boiling points of the various materials. All the while he waited to see if his lab rat would find his way out of his burning maze.   
  
The station exploded in a huge ball of fire, showering the Souja with debris.  
  
"Oh well," Kagato mused.  
  
  
  
The blast completely vaporized the waters of the lake and added another twenty meters to its depth. Yosho could still feel its searing heat on the skin of both his arms as at the last moment, Ryoko parted her arms allowing twins streams of energy to pass on either side of the unwavering Yosho.  
  
Mentally and physically exhausted, Ryoko crumbled to her knees and sobbed uncontrollably. Ryo-Ohki tried to soothe her the best she could scrambling up into Ryoko's lap, where Ryoko scooped her up and cradled her to her chest.   
  
Yosho walked up to her and knelt down to the crying young woman. Despite her thousands of years, she looked like a small child holding a stuffed animal to her breast. Yosho didn't know if she was ready for the story he was about to tell or the quest he was about to send her on, but he had little choice.  
  
"Ryoko, listen very closely to what I'm about to say..."  
  
  
  
Both Tsunami and Tokimi watched silently as the expanding ball of fire consumed the station. Finally, Tokimi turned off the display. Tsunami looked at her incredulously for a moment, before calming herself. She was fairly certain where that chain of events would lead to, no point in tipping off her sister.   
  
"What is the point of this? Why did you want Tenchi Masaki dead?" Tsunami asked.  
  
Tokimi looked at Tsunami confused, then smiled. "Dead? I thought you would be pleased. In fact I'm certain that you will be..."  
  
  
  



End file.
